Reality TV shows are among the most-watched programs worldwide due to their mix of excitement, adventure, and the opportunity they offer to both participants and viewers to engage in intense challenges. This craving for thrill and competition inspired a British channel to create a unique show titled “Shattered.” This reality program brought together ten participants who were required to live together in one house and stay awake for seven days straight, with their actions constantly monitored. Throughout this period, they faced a variety of daily performance tests and challenges, with the last person standing receiving a prize of £100,000. However, there was a strict rule: if any contestant closed their eyes for more than ten seconds, £1,000 would be deducted from the prize fund immediately.

The idea for “Shattered” emerged in 2004, during the early 2000s boom in reality TV shows, which drew high ratings and widespread interest. Channel 4 in the UK decided to jump on the bandwagon, creating its own controversial reality show with a competitive twist by depriving ordinary people of sleep for a week. The show featured ten participants: Claire S, Jonathan, Chris, Jimmy, Dean, Claire M, Craig, Lucy, Salma, and Ellen, equally split between men and women.

During the episodes of “Shattered,” contestants were subjected to several tests, including a memory test, a clock test that measured their perception of time, a reaction test, and the Stroop test, which examined their mental agility. Those who performed the worst in these tests faced an elimination challenge each evening, where the loser would be evicted from the competition. Every day, one contestant was also chosen by their peers to undertake an hour-long challenge called “You Snooze, You Lose,” where they had to stay awake while being subjected to activities designed to make them sleepy, such as cuddling a giant teddy bear, listening to a bedtime story, watching paint dry, counting sheep on television, or attending a boring lecture.

Although “Shattered” was intended to explore the effects of sleep deprivation, the producers had little idea of what to expect. As time went on, participants began to show symptoms of hallucinations and erratic behavior. Some suffered from severe drowsiness, while others became aggressive and irrational. The longer they stayed awake, the worse these effects became. Chris, for instance, believed he was the Prime Minister of Australia and thought the set was in Australia, not the UK. Jimmy became inexplicably angry when others refused to wear their Japanese armor and play with an imaginary ball. Meanwhile, Dean and Jonathan were convinced their clothes had been stolen. Dean nearly collapsed when he began to succumb to sleep while still standing. Claire started telling fabricated stories about wrestling the Irish boxer Joey Rowan. After 75 hours, Lucy decided to leave after consulting with the show’s on-set psychologist, unable to continue any longer. This left Chris, Dean, Claire S, and Jimmy as the only contestants still awake.

On the final day of “Shattered,” the remaining contestants who had not yet fallen asleep participated in the ultimate challenge. They were sent to their rooms and told that whoever stayed awake the longest would win the competition. They were prohibited from speaking, moving out of camera range, or covering their face or eyes for more than 10 seconds. During this final showdown, Jonathan and Chris both fell asleep, only 15 minutes apart from each other. Claire managed to remain awake the longest, ultimately winning the competition after staying awake for an astonishing 178 hours.

Following the conclusion of “Shattered,” the show faced significant criticism from viewers, who accused Channel 4 of endangering the contestants’ health and highlighting the use of sleep deprivation as a form of torture by oppressive regimes. Psychologists also condemned the show as degrading and harmful to both physical and mental health, arguing that it was not a scientific experiment but merely a display of watching people suffer from lack of sleep. In response, Channel 4 defended the program, with a spokesperson stating that the network had taken great care to ensure the contestants’ health and safety. Ultimately, the broadcasting regulator decided to terminate the show and prevent its return, putting an end to the controversy.